Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-01
FISH AS A CASUS BELLI.
MR.. LAWLER DON'T WANT TO BE
CAUGHT MAPPING.


He Suggests that Congress Ask the Pres
ident to Give His Advice rs to what's
Best to DO in the EmergenCy-An APP
peal to the Cabinet.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31.--In the House
TO day the following preamble and resolu-
tions were introduced by Mr.. Lawler:
WHEREAS, The belh gerent tone of the Cana
dian press, and the announcement that Great
Britain will shortly dispatch fleet Of war
ships TO cruise In the vicinity OF our north
eastern coast line, Indicate hostility toward
the United states, growing out of our posi-
tion on the fisheries question:; and.
WHEREAS. AdWiral Porter mas directed at
tention to the fact that twenty seven of our
Atlantic, Gulf aud Pacific harbors are ahso-
lutely defenscleSs; eleven Of Them, to-WlC:
New York. san Francisco, Boston, Lake
port, Hampton Roads, New Orleans, Phila-
delphla, Washington, Baltimore, Portland,
Me-. ana the Rhode Island ports OF Nara
gansett Bay, are in urgent need Of Immediate
defense; and,
WHEREAS. 1t is alleged that Great Britain
and Canada are in possession of charts and
exemplifcations of ali our harbors and coast
defeuse; therefore
Iesoloed, That the President be requested,
as commander chief of the army and
navy, to inform the House OF Representa-
tives at an early day what steps, if any, are
necessary in his judgment to provide for this
emergency.
MIR. Bragg, of Wisconsin, suggested
that it was unwise to advertise to the
enemy our unprotected position.
The resolution was referred to the
Committee on Appropriations.
MIR. Boutelle offered a resolution direct
ing the Committee on Foreign Affairs to
report back forthwith the Senate retalia-
tion bill.
THE SUB-COMMITTEE's ATTITUDE.
The action taken by Messrs. Belmont,
Clements and Rice, the subcommittee of
the House COMMITTEES on Foreign Affairs,
on the fisheries question is understood to
be as follows: A majority of the sub
committee felt that whatever course was
taken by the House should be had, in
view OF the gravity of the interests In
volved, not only with the knowledge but
with the fun assent and active concur
renee OF the administration. They there
fore determined to forward copies of the
Edmunds joint resolution as passed by
the Senate, the German retaliatory
bill as introduced into the Senate
and the Belmont retalIatory bill as re-
ported to the House recently by the For
eign Affairs Committee to both Secretary
Bayard and Secretary Manning. Secre-
tary Manning is specifically asked tor an
expression of his views and preference
on the bills submitted as bearing upon
the interests committed by law to his
supervision, and both Secretary Manning
and Secretary Bayard are asked to
suggest any notifications which
may seem TO them desirab ble
N either OF the measures. The earliest
possible reply is solicited. There is an
Unauthorized whisper to the effect that
one reason for this course has been the
fact that the recent action of the Senate
on certain privileged questions has been
resented by the administration as having
been taken in violation OF long established
usage as to consultation with the State
Department, and the House committee
determined to stand right on the record
in this regard.